The global effectiveness of pesticide policy instruments

Reducing pesticide use and associated risks is a global agricultural policy priority, yet whether existing policy instruments deliver on these ambitions remains largely unknown. We conduct a pre-registered, global systematic review of 166 ex-post assessments drawn from 114 articles (1960-2024) that evaluate the effectiveness of pesticide policy instruments across three outcomes: pesticide use, pesticide risk, and behavioral change. We find that effectiveness is context- and outcome- dependent, and that reducing pesticide risks requires coordinated policy mixes still lacking empirical support. We identify five priority areas for improving pesticide policy effectiveness and call for a shift toward risk-informed governance.